Thursday, 23 February 2017

Extremadura Day 4: Monfrague National park

Finally time to complete the trip reports for last week-end's visit to Extremadura. Having spent a most enjoyable evening at the Hotel Rural Hojaranzos in Tejeda de Tietar I said good-bye to friends and headed off to the Monfargue National Park entering, for the first time, from the east so that I could ext and start my return journey to Mezquitilla by joining the motorway at Trujillo. With the hotel right on the border of the park, I soon picked up Spotless Starling and an early rising Red Kite before entering the narrow road down to the river Tietar and its well-known cliff face on the opposite bank where I hoped to see some magnificent birds. Continuing along the lane I soon added both Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon quickly followed by Stonechat and Corn Bunting. A White Stork drifted over the adjacent dehesa and a Great Tit popped off the fence before rounding the last bend to meet up with the river.

Managing to find just enough space to get the car off the road in front on an already parked car, I was in time to see a Great White Egret slowly flying up stream. Then round the bend immediately in front of me, I cam across a birder sat on a low camping stool with hos telescope facing the cliff on the opposite bank. Enquiring about any possible sightings of the local eagle owl i was told that he was watching the nest of a Spanish Imperial Eagle and in addition to its mate he had been listening to a third individual calling from behind. I very quickly discovered that we actually new each other and Robert was another ABS member who just happened to be here on a birding holiday from Germany; small world.

Great White Egret Garceta Grande Egretta alba

Having been shown the eagle's nest i son had my scope set up and was able to get a good view of the female's head. The female was then joined by the male Spanish Imperial Eagle who, after a few circuits, settle on its favourite, nearby perch and ten minutes later was joined by the female. Copulation took place and eventually the female returned to the nest and the male set of on another short circuit of its nearby territory before re-settling in the tree. Marvellous views.

Behind me a noisy Jay was foraging in the small trees whilst back on the cliff a mixture of resting and early morning flights by the resident Griffon Vultures. Crag Martins patrolled the cliff face and I made my way along to the next view pint where I was able to park the car and, as an additional bonus, had the pleasure of watching my first Black Stork of the year in the air above me.

My first Black Stork Ciguena Negra Ciconia nigra of the year

Climbing up the first hill to the mirador overlook the bend in the river I had a Heron on the far bank and both Black and Griffon Vultures in the air above me.

The magnificet Black (Monk) Vulture Buitre Negro Aegyplus monachus

From here I drove on to the dam where I found scores of House Martins and a number of Azure-winged Magpies in the trees below the picnic area. No house Martins or anything else as I crossed the long bridge other than some resident Rock Doves. But parked on the far side I did find a number of Chaffinches, Blackbird and Robin with, finally, a handful of feeding Long-tailed Tits.

Approaching the mirador at El Salto del Gitano opposite the Pena Falcon I had a single Rock Bunting in a tree and then the first sight of the numerous Griffon Vultures and feeding Crag Martins. Most of the former were still resting and it appeared to me that there were far fewer than on previous visits. Below me a male Blue Rock Thrush came to rest on top of a large boulder.

Male Blue Rock Thrush Roquero Solitario Monticola solitarius

As I made my way to Trujillo and the motorway I also picked up Magpie and then White Wagtail, Crested Lark, Mallard and Kestrel at the Almonte river crossing. But there was still time when I reached Castuera to take a diversion up and over the steppe covered yesterday morning and eventually exit at Cabeza de Buey. This journey along some different, and smaller, tracks produced Hoopoe, Magpie, Meadow Pipit and Iberian Grey Shrikes, not to mention the occasional Marsh Harrier and a flight of a dozen Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Naturally, there were both Golden Plover and Lapwing to be seen. However, nearing the end I had a flock in excess of fifty Choughs feeding on the land to my right.

Iberian Grey Shrike Alcaudon Real Lanius meridionallis

It was now full speed ahead for Cordoba and the motorway to Malaga and home. But, again, time for a short detour south of Cordoba to visit, after seeing my first Buzzard back in Andalucia, the largest of the Cordoba lakes, Laguna de Zonars, just south of Aguilar. However, on arrival the entrance track through the olive grove was definitely fit for only 4 x 4s so I had to park above the lake and use my scope. Not a lot about but I did manage both Common and Red-crested Pochard along with Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Coot and Barn Swallows over the water. I thought that that was it for the day as evening drew nearer but then, to my great surprise and pleasure, a single Black Kite, again my first of the year) crossed the road above me to the front. What a way to end my tour with almost 100 species recorded and including 16 new species for the year.

Only ever going to be one winner between Spanish Imperial EagleAquilla adalberti and GriffonVulture Gyps fulvus

1 comment:

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Birding Axarquia with Bob Wright is an introduction to the birds to be found in the Axarquia region of the Costa del Sol, Spain and the surrounding area. All are invited to comment upon entries and forward their own contribution(s).This site also, until further notice, incorporates the activities of the Axarquia Bird Club.

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Background Information

I retired at the end of 1998 having been a primary school headteacher for thirty years. After a couple of years undertaking some consultancy/ training work with headteachers, I moved to the Axarquia area of the Costa del Sol in Spain. We now live on a mountain top, a little to the north of Velez Malaga and overlook Lake Vinuela to the north and the sea to the south, which gives us excellent panoramic views of the whole area including the mountains.I have been a birder for over fifty years and before leaving GB I was a qualified "Ringer" for the BTO, undertaking most of my studies in Staffordshire, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire. All three counties being well away from the coast, it is not surprising that my main field of interest were those "Little Brown Jobs" (often referred to as LBJs), with a special emphasis on roost work in the autumns and winters and early morning visits to favoured sites, such as Charwelton on the Banbury road from Daventry where, in June and July, it was possible to catch and ring well over an hundred birds and still be home by just after nine am to take the family shopping!

Always an interest in classical music, I have also sung in operettas and one appearance in a "grand opera" (Aida). Most of the former was with the Stamford Gilbert & Sullivan Players where I had the good fortune to appear, rather than star, in all save "Utopia".